Full Stack Principal Engineer

OverviewWe are seeking a highly experienced, hands-on Principal Full Stack Engineer to lead the design, development, and scaling of cloud and on-prem infrastructure for a modern web application. This is a true individual contributor (IC) role focused on 100% hands-on engineering, with an emphasis on infrastructure as code, backend development, and system architecture.This position is ideal for someone who thrives in building systems from early-stage environments through large-scale deployment, and who wants to remain deeply technical rather than move into management.Key ResponsibilitiesDesign, build, and scale infrastructure and system architecture across cloud and on-prem environmentsDevelop and manage Infrastructure as Code (IaC), primarily using TerraformBuild and maintain backend services and APIs using PythonLead containerization efforts and ensure applications are fully containerizedArchitect and manage Kubernetes-based environmentsOwn CI/CD pipelines and deployment workflowsEnsure high availability, scalability, and performance across multi-zone environmentsLead cloud architecture strategy for web-based applicationsDrive security best practices, particularly related to payments and sensitive systemsCollaborate with a small, highly technical team while owning end-to-end delivery of key componentsSupport deployment in regulated environments, including government cloud platformsRequired Qualifications8+ years of experience in software engineering, with a strong focus on infrastructure and backend systemsProven experience as a senior or principal-level individual contributorDeep expertise in Infrastructure as Code (IaC), especially Terraform (must have owned and built implementations end-to-end)Strong backend development experience using Python (APIs, services, endpoints)Hands-on experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, etc.)Strong experience designing and managing Kubernetes environmentsExperience building and scaling infrastructure from early-stage to production environmentsExpertise in cloud platforms (AWS and/or others) as well as on-premise infrastructureExperience with CI/CD pipelines and automated deployment processesStrong understanding of distributed systems, high-availability architecture, and load balancingExperience working in enterprise environments, preferably with government or regulated systemsFamiliarity with deploying in GovCloud environments and Impact Level 5 (IL5) standardsPreferred QualificationsExperience in startup environments or scaling systems from early-stage to enterprise-level deploymentActive Top Secret clearanceExperience working with payment systems or security-critical applicationsExposure to geospatial, data pipeline, or analytics-driven platformsInterest in contributing to or engaging with technical communities